Severe cold wave conditions continued to grip northern India including Jharkhand for the fifth consecutive day on Monday. Record low temperatures and poor visibility have crippled life across cities, affecting communication and forcing schools to extend breaks.
In Jharkhand, especially the north- western parts were in the grip of a cold wave as the minimum temperature plummeted to as low as four degree Celsius. The minimum temperature was hovering around four degree Celsius at Daltonganj and it’s adjoining areas
Moreover, statistics revealed that Khunti and Kanke in the outskirts of Ranchi were also experiencing extreme temperatures of around four degree Celsius for the last two days. Kanke recorded a drop in temperature with mercury reaching 0 degree Celsius.
“Jharkhand was experiencing severe weather for the last couple of days due to free flow of northerly wind. Cold wave conditions, wherein minimum temperature dropped five notches below normal, was prevailing in several isolated pockets of the state. Cold wave conditions were likely to prevail for another 24- hours, ” said a duty officer at Ranchi Met Centre.
The forecast of Ranchi Met Centre suggests slight rise in minimum readings after the next 24- hours. The forecast also suggests mist in the morning and mainly clear sky later.
The minimum reading was hovering between 8- 10 degree Celsius in Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Deoghar, Giridih and several parts of Kolhan region. The minimum reading hovered between 5 and 6 degree Celsius at Simdega and its adjoining areas.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an "orange" alert for certain parts of northern India, including Delhi, for Monday, warning that dense fog, cold days and cold wave conditions would persist.
A senior IMD meteorologist said short-term relief is likely after a couple of days under the influence of back-to-back western disturbances.
When a Western disturbance -- a weather system characterised by warm moist winds from the Middle East -- approaches a region, the wind direction changes. Hence, the chilly northwesterly winds from the mountains will stop blowing for a few days, leading to an increase in temperatures, he said.
Due to the drop in temperature, the State government has already announced the extension of school holidays for all primary schools in the state till January 14, 2023 due to extreme cold wave. Classes nursery to 5 will begin regular classes from January 16, 2023. Previously the state government announced school holidays till January 8, 2023. However, the massive temperature drop has prompted the Jharkhand government to close private and government primary schools till the weather conditions improve.